Improvement in mowing-machines



l. H. ELWARD. lllowing-Mahhinesv 910.1542321 PatentedAug.1a,1s74.

UNITEJJ STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. ELWARD, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

IMPROVEMENT IN MOWING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l 54,232, dated August 18, 1874; application filed July 2, 1874.

To all 'whomt may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. ELWARD, of St. Paul, county of Ramsey, State of Minnesota, have invented a new and useful Improve- 'ment in Grass-Harvesters, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in whichl l Figure 1 represents a perspective View of my improved mower, and Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same with the inner drive-wheel in a position substantially parallel with the` surface of the ground over which it is drawn, as hereinafter explained. l It further relates to a novel arrangement of lrhe seat and liftinglever relatively to the main frame and hinged tongue, whereby the weight of the attendant is made to tilt the frame and raise the cutting apparatus for passing an obstruction, without throwing the weight of such cutting apparatus upon the tongue, and thence upon the neckyoke of the team, as hereinafter explained.

In the accompanying drawing, A represents the main axle and main transverse frame-bar, provided at each end with a journal, upon which the main drive-wheels B B are mounted.

.To this bar A, projecting in rear thereof, and

inal bar A2 extends forward of the axle-bar in advance of the driving-wheels, and has formed upon or rigidly connected with it a drooping runner or shoe plate, D, said plate joining the bar A2 at its front and rear, and drooping between these points to, or nearly to, the plane on which the driving-wheels B rest, where it is expanded in width at a point in advance of the inner drive-wheel, to form the shoe, the support for'the inner hinged end of the finger-bar, and a shield for protecting the crank-wheel and pitman from the grass. The plate D in rear of the finger-bar and the shoe part rises vertically, or nearly so, at d, lsufficiently lfar to afford a support for the forward lower end of the inclined crank-shaft, which passes through a tubular bearing therein. The plate D is then curved or turned backward again, passing above thecrank-shaft and underneath the axle-bar to the rear end of bar A, to which it is united, a vertical lug or ea-r, d', formed upon or attached to it near its rear end, affording a rear'bearing -for the crank-shaft. The inner end of the finger-bar is provided with perforated uprights or ears c e, the rear one of which surrounds the crankshaft, and is supported upon a forward sleeveextension of the. tubular bearing therefor at d, and the forward one is pivoted in line with the crank-shaft in an upright, c, formed upon or attached to the shoe in such manner as to permit the finger-bar to be turned up from a horizontal to a vertical position, and viceversa, turning around the crank-shaft as a center. To

the frame-bar A, about in the same transverse plane with the linger-bar, is connected a carrying-wheel, B', made, by preference, of about the same diameter as the drivin g-wheels B, in such manner that its stub-axle may be connected directly to the bar A2 and made to support the forward end of said har at the same height from the ground with the rest of the frame. For the purpose of adjustment of the height of the shoe from the ground, for transportation or other purpose, the axle of wheel B is secured to 4a vertical plate or standard, F, provided with a number of horizontal lian ges, f, any one of which may be bolted to the frame-bar A2, for setting the forward end of said bar and the shoe and cutting apparatus connected therewith at the desired height.

seat plank or standard H'has an arm or lever,

It, rigidly connected with it, at or near midway of its length, said leverextending` obliquely from plank t0 the right-hand side of the seat H', as shown.

By this arrangement of the seat relatively to the vibrating main frame, the driver is enabled, by rising from his seat, to throw his entire weight on the rear barAx of said frame, and, by depressing said bar, to raise the forward end of bar A2 and the cutting apparatus connected therewith, for passing an obstruction in the way of the cutters, after which, by resuming his seat, the cutters again descend to their proper working position. Where, from any reason, the weight of the driver is iusuicient for the purpose of raising the cutting apparatus, the driver standing on bar AX, by grasping and raising on the arm or lever h, can depress the rear end ofthe frame and cause the cutters to be raised in a manner that will be readily linderstood.

The cutting apparatus, hinged within the shoe as above explained, is prevented from dropping below or much below a horizontal position by coming in contact with and resting upon the upper face of the shoe or runner at its inner side; it may, however, be raised at its outer end, for passing an obstruction, or folded into a vertical position against the outer face of bar A2, within the path of or between the driving-wheels, by means of a lever, I, pivoted in a vertical flange, I', on the frame or frame-bar A, and a cord or chain, i, passing from said lever through a perforation in or'over a pulley connected with the said framebar, and connected with the finger-bar at a point outside its hinge, as shown in Fig. 1. Instead of Vthe usual crank-wrist on the crankshaft, a disk, K, is employed, provided with two grooves on its vertical face, said grooves crossing each other at right angles in the center'of the disk, and the connecting-rod K' has attached to it two pivoted slides, which reciprocate, one in each of said grooves, in such manner as to give two reciprocations of the sickle in each direction to each revolution of the crankshaft.

Parts of the machine not particularly described may be constructed or applied in any usual or preferred manner.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as newand desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The vibrating main frame A A1 A2 and drooping shoe or runner D, constructed as described, in combination with the forward carrying-wheel B, connected with the forwardlyprojecting bar A2 in advance of and between the drivin g-wheels, and in line with the hinged finger-bar, for maintaining the frame in a position parallel with the ground, substantially as speciiied.

2. The arm or lever h, rigidly connected with the seat-standard, and projecting at the side of the dri-vers seat, for enabling the driver, when standing on the bar A", to tilt the vibrating main frame, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 14th day of May, A. D. 1874.

JOHN H. ELWARD.

Witnesses:

H. N. FARNHAM, Jr., R. C. MOORE. 

